Chapter Text
The young mermaid looks at the man standing before her. He appears frustrated, uneasy. Madame Shirley sighs and turns her gaze towards her crystal ball.
“The king you fear so deeply will arrive soon. In just one year.”
Sengoku rubs his face in displeasure and nods at the seer.
“Can you tell me anything about him? His face, his appearance… his name?”
She shakes her head.
“I only see a man… a man wearing a hat.”
Resigned to the lack of information, the Fleet Admiral nods and rises to his feet. “Thank you for your help, Madame Shirley.”
She bites her lip as she watches him leave. Without meaning to, she voices her thoughts aloud.
“There is someone who can give you what you need. She will show you what you want to see.”
The old man turns back, eyes wide with surprise.
“She could show me that man?”
The mermaid nods several times. “However, she is whimsical. And her ability works in a strange way. It may end up involving many people.”
He looks at her with determination. “Please, take me to her. This is very important.”
Madame Shirley nods with a sigh. She does not know why she is doing this, but… it is the right thing. She cannot allow a man to rule the seas. Men belong on land, regardless of Queen Otohime’s wishes.
Flashes of light illuminate a dim room. At first glance, it is not very large, and it is completely empty of furniture. As people begin to appear, the room seems to expand to accommodate them.
“What the hel—?” Demalo Black, a bulky, filthy man, lands on his backside after colliding with something enormous. When he looks up, his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. “WHAT?!”
Whitebeard does not spare a second glance at the insect that stumbled into him. Instead, he keeps his sons close, carefully scanning for any threat. The pirate is not particularly surprised by the sudden change of scenery. He has been through far stranger things in the turbulent waters of the Grand Line than this.
A little farther away, however, some people begin to grow unsettled. Not because they are cowards, but because they are starting to recognise some of the most notorious pirates present, and this gathering bodes ill.
Doflamingo watches the strange mixture of people with a blend of amusement and intrigue. No one attacks, but everyone is ready to leap at the slightest provocation. Marines and pirates immediately separate themselves. There are also a few hooded figures, undoubtedly revolutionaries. Possibly civilians as well.
“Please, do not lose your composure,” a voice commands. “I know this may come as a shock, but what has brought you here is not a threat.”
The crowd parts to reveal the Fleet Admiral of the Marines addressing them. He shows no fear in the face of the pirates’ glares, meeting the eyes of anyone bold enough to return his stare.
“Why are we here?” Akainu asks, always to the point.
“The ability of an acquaintance has brought you here,” says Sengoku. Behind him, a violet-haired mermaid smiles slyly. “To prevent any unpleasant surprises, I will warn you from the start that no fighting will be tolerated. The person who brought you here has the power to stop it, and she will. I apologise if that displeases you, but this is absolutely necessary for the future of the world as we know it.”
“And what could possibly be so important?” Kizaru asks, dragging out the words.
Sengoku does not look at any of the pirates as he replies. “Several years ago, I asked a seer to predict the arrival of a specific individual upon the seas. Recently, I asked her again. Her answer did not change.”
“And who is this person?” Asks one of the Shichibukai, Crocodile. His arms crossed.
“The future King of the Pirates.” A collective gasp follows, but the murmur dies when Sengoku continues. “Whoever this person is, they will destabilise the balance of the world according to Madame Shirley’s predictions. That cannot be allowed to happen. Which is why we must erase this individual before they begin to cause chaos.”
“Have you fallen that low, Sengoku?” Whitebeard roars. “Whoever that person may be, you cannot foresee the future.”
“I cannot,” Sengoku admits. “That is why Lady Bessy has brought us here.”
The mermaid gives a small wave. “My name is Bessy. I ate the Miru Miru no Mi, which allows the user to see anything they desire, as well as show it to others. When Sengoku-san offered me this task, I took on the responsibility of looking ahead at the future of the world.” She hides a small giggle behind her hand. “All of you who are here have or will cross paths with the King at some point. And, of course, he himself is among us.”
With eyes wide open, everyone looks around at those nearby. Everyone searches for the future king. Kaido boasts loudly, proclaiming himself the future king, and others imitate him.
Bessy laughs again. “I must admit that everything I have seen is nothing short of fascinating. Not only him, but also those who walk beside him. I will show you the crew that will reach the very top, and the man who will change the world.”
“That’s not fair, I don’t want to see my journey before I live it,” some teenager with a straw hat complains quietly. The people around him turn to look at him with mockery. “But whatever, I’ll forget it anyway,” he concludes with a shrug.
Generally speaking, most of them are excited about what is about to be shown. Many know it is not them. They do not need a seer or someone to show them the future to know that. However, being present here means they will have the chance to meet the King, whether as allies or enemies.
What they are about to see is a source of information they can store for the future. For that reason, Dragon approaches his loyal friend Ivankov, whom he has not seen since he was imprisoned, and watches attentively.
For others, this is the perfect opportunity to cut the evil at its root. Akainu could leap for joy at the idea proposed by his superior.
Rayleigh crosses his arms, carefully observing the strange gathering. Only someone who wishes to see chaos would bring together so many dangerous individuals with opposing ideals. That alone says a great deal about what he is about to witness.
Some sit down on armchairs that were not there moments ago. Many feel curiosity towards the strange ability; others covet it, but none of them can act with so many witnesses present.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, brat?”
With many of them flinching in surprise, the entire room turns to look at the owner of that booming voice. Big Mom is surrounded by her loyal children, who stare at their mother with utter disbelief.
And no wonder. Atop Napoleon, the Yonkou’s hat, there is a scrawny figure. It is a boy –too young to be a man, too old to be a kid–, casually observing everyone around him.
“I’m shy around strangers…,” the hat mutters under the stares.
“Excuse me, fat lady,” the boy says as he carelessly pats the hat. “Just let me find my brother or my gramps.”
The comment elicits a variety of reactions, some more amused than others. Among them, the laughter of Kaido and his loyal ally Doflamingo stands out.
Others are far more concerned about the boy. Judging by Linlin’s expression, she is seconds away from stabbing the brat perched on her.
Fortunately for the teen, a pair of identical shouts redirects all attention.
“LUFFY?!”
Portgas D. Ace is the first to reach the Yonkou’s feet, staring at the boy as if he cannot believe he is really there.
The other voice, to the surprise of many, belongs to Emperor Shanks. Unlike Ace, he does not run. He walks calmly, his loyal men following behind him. He looks at the pirate woman with resignation and a hint of amusement.
“Sorry, Big Mom. Would you mind giving the kid back?”
She does not look particularly willing to cooperate. Ace abandons all courtesy and shouts again.
“Luffy, you damn idiot, get down from there! That woman is dangerous!”
The boy, Luffy, who had been distracted by watching Whitebeard with curiosity, finally notices Fire Fist’s presence. His eyes shine with excitement as he leaps into the older boy’s arms.
“Ace! I found you!” He shouts, ignoring all the attention focused on him.
“Idiot! I found you!” Ace smacks him. “Do you have any idea what you were doing? You could have been killed!”
Perospero’s expression beside his mother suggests that this is probably true.
“There are loads of weird people here. I got distracted,” Luffy says cheerfully and obliviously. “I saw a white bear talking to some guy, you know?”
Ace rolls his eyes fondly. With the initial shock over, he now truly wants to return to his crew and introduce his little brother.
Big Mom seems to have other ideas. She bends slightly and grabs the boy’s body with one hand, squeezing him. Luffy does not appear troubled by the firm grip.
“I really could kill you right now,” she threatens with a smile.
The boy does not seem afraid. He simply tilts his head patiently.
Shanks clears his throat and places a smile back on his face, this time tinged with menace.
“Linlin,” he says sharply. “Put Luffy down.”
Before the woman can even think about it, the child shrieks. His head bends in a way that makes others recoil in alarm, and when he finally spots Shanks, his face twists into terror.
Without any help, he slips easily from the Yonkou’s hands and climbs up her shoulder to hide behind a lock of pink hair.
“Shanks, you bastard!” Comes the voice, though only his feet are visible, barely uncovered by the hair. “We made a promise, don’t look at me!”
The red-haired man looks as though he regrets every decision he has ever made as he chuckles and runs his remaining hand over his forehead.
“Listen, Luffy, I know we made a promise, but this doesn’t really count. We were brought here against our will, and as far as I know, you haven’t started your journey yet, right?” The boy peeks out slightly from between the strands of hair, looking at the emperor with curiosity. “The lads and I really want to see you. Why don’t you come down here?”
That finally convinces the boy to come out, now free from the danger of breaking a promise. Luffy smiles as he looks at the red-haired man with excitement.
“Alright, Shanks.” Then he looks around once more, carefully studying the faces. “Hey, that old seagull—”
“Old seagull?!” The Fleet Admiral shrieks indignantly, provoking giggles among pirates and some marines.
“—said that a lot of important people are gathered here, right?”
Ace and Shanks exchange suspicious looks. The latter nods. “That’s right, Luffy, and they’re dangerous. Now—”
“Perfect! Listen up, bastards!” He plants his hands on his hips and raises his voice. “I’m Monkey D. Luffy, and I’m going to be King of the Pirates!”
The room truly freezes at the young aspiring pirate’s shout. It is bad enough that he has declared this in a room full of powerful pirates, but he is also standing on the shoulder of one of the fiercest among them.
“BRAT!” An older man’s voice roars from far away.
A blond boy looks on from among the hooded figures, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. Beside him, the leader of the revolutionaries smiles.
“A pirate, huh? Go for it.”
Big Mom’s livid expression is the signal that prompts another man to act. He had been watching the interaction between the mysterious boy and the other pirates with equal parts amusement and curiosity, but no matter how interesting it is, he must rescue him immediately.
“Gurararara, cheeky brat,” Whitebeard’s massive hand grabs the boy’s body and pulls him away from the furious woman. “You’ve got guts, don’t you?”
Luffy simply smiles, entirely unconcerned by the appearance of yet another powerful man.
“Hi, giant ossan,” he greets him with a rubbery grin. “Can you put me down on the floor?”
The emperor laughs again and fulfils the request, but the moment he does, an enraged Ace lunges at the boy, who immediately climbs back into the giant’s arms.
“Change of plans!” Luffy yells. “Ace wants to hit me! Help me, ossan!”
“Oyaji, put my stupid brother down!” Several gasps ripple through the room at the revelation of the relationship between the two young men. Even Whitebeard himself raises an eyebrow, amused. “You’re always the same, Luffy. Shouting that while standing on Big Mom, of all people!”
“And why should I care who’s here? I just told the truth!”
Ace sighs. He wants to say that he will make his captain the King of the Pirates, but unlike his brother, he does not wish to provoke a bloodbath among the strongest.
Sengoku narrows his eyes when he sees the boy. He recognises him at once as Garp’s grandson, and the boy does not take long to make use of the madness of the D to draw everyone’s attention. However, it is the hat that truly catches his eye. Almost instinctively, his gaze shifts to the mermaid, the only person who knows for certain what will happen in the future, and his mouth falls open when he sees the amused, fond look she directs at the teen.
This has to be a damned joke.
A screen lights up. Many flinch for a moment until they realise what it is.
“Why is this man so dangerous?” The mermaid standing beside Sengoku never stops smiling. “The future King of the Pirates set sail from one of the four Blues with nothing more than a small boat and a barrel of apples. No dirty tricks, just growth built on trial and error. The King is someone to be feared, but as you will soon see, he is also held in high esteem by many. Watch, analyse, and enjoy this opportunity.”
The screen turns on. Distorted laughter echoes in the background, and the first image is a close-up of a man with dark curls and a sleep mask resting on his forehead.
“Admiral Aokiji!” A marine exclaims.
The man mentioned leans forward with interest.
“It’s cold, it’s cold. I’m gonna freeze!” One of the voices in the background says through laughter.
Aokiji watches impassively as whatever is unfolding on the screen. The owners of the voices seem to pause when they notice Aokiji sitting there.
“You’re just like him…” There is a strange pause. “Impulsive like a child and difficult to understand.”
Some pause briefly as the description of the supposed protagonist unfolds. Aokiji speaks as though drawing a comparison to someone he knows, yet in truth, the man’s personality bears an uncanny resemblance to the one who once held the title that has been so often invoked in this very room. Rayleigh tilts his head, a sudden wave of nostalgia lulling him.
Another pause. At no point are the faces of the voices’ owners shown.
“I came here for that woman and to see you… Perhaps I should kill you right now.”
Silence follows. Aokiji looks at them.
“The Government is still taking you guys lightly, but… if I delve into your history, I can tell that your group has a backbone. Although your group is small, since it’s gathering shrewd members, it’ll probably become a problem later on. The circumstances that initially led to your search orders… All the actions you took up until now… The speed of your group’s progress… I’ve been dealing with outlaws for a long time, but it worries me to think how you’ll turn out.”
“For an admiral to say something like that…” A captain mutters as the image fades.
“And judging by the context, we have to assume they were not famous at all yet,” another comments.
Sengoku stares at Aokiji, eyes wide. The other admirals do the same. His judgment is rarely wrong. If he thought they were a threat from the very beginning…
“Lady Bessy,” Kizaru calls out, “could you tell us something about what we just saw?”
“I only show what is necessary. I cannot tell you whether the admiral confronted the pirates or not, because I do not consider it important,” she says with a smile. “If what you want to know is about the pirates, at that point they had been at sea for only a few months.”
Seeing that everyone accepts this in silence, the screen lights up once more.
The video is extremely loud. Cannons, gunfire, screams. The sounds of a large-scale battle.
Dracule Mihawk, the strongest swordsman in the world, appears running across an icy battlefield, prepared to cut someone down. A pair of swords stops him.
“Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates’ Fifth Division,” Mihawk recognises him. “Flower Blade Vista.”
“Nice to meet you, Hawk-Eye, Mihawk.”
“Uh… isn’t that Marineford in the background?”
Everyone who knows the place opens their eyes wide in recognition.
“Is that… a war?”
“A war… between the Government and Whitebeard’s pirates!”
Everyone takes a moment to process the information. A battle of such magnitude would turn the world upside down regardless of the outcome.
“Why are we fighting?” Marco asks the mermaid.
She shrugs. “I don’t know. You will find out in the future if I consider it necessary.”
“Can you at least tell us who wins?” Sengoku asks, not hiding his interest.
“Winning,” she repeats thoughtfully. “No one wins. In a war, everyone loses.” She pauses. “Though I will admit that the war was merely the trigger for a chain of events across the world. And he always ends up at the centre of it all.”
“How is that man connected to the war between the Government and Whitebeard?” Sengoku asks again. “Is he one of them?”
Marco notices how one of the members of the Second Division, Teach, puffs out his chest with anticipation and pride, only to deflate when Sengoku receives a negative answer. It is strange behaviour, and Marco stores it in his mind to share with his father later.
“He is not,” Bessy replies. “But he did obtain Whitebeard’s protection during that war.”
“Wow,” Thatch whistles. “For Oyaji to accept him… he must be incredible.”
“Gurararara, I’m looking forward to seeing more of this.”
Ace still looks uneasy at the fact that they are witnessing a war. The video resumes.
“It isn’t an ability or some cheap trick,” Mihawk thinks as he clashes with Vista. “One by one, he turns the people around him into his allies.”
“Is that a thought?” Someone asks with interest. “I don’t see him moving his mouth.”
Bessy merely offers a mysterious smile.
The video shows a pair of feet wearing nothing but sandals running across the icy ground. The image changes, revealing a familiar revolutionary, Emporio Ivankov, speaking words none of them can hear. Then two Shichibukai appear: Jinbe and Boa Hancock. Marines are shown. Pirates are shown. Everyone is fighting.
Mihawk appears once more, his golden eyes focused intently on something.
“That man possesses the most terrifying power of all the seas!”
“The revolutionaries too!” A marine shouts.
Sengoku stares at the screen, eyes wide, but it is not he who speaks.
“You didn’t say this war involved us as well,” a voice says from the back.
Many turn around, but others, such as Admiral Akainu, leap to their feet in disbelief.
“Dragon the Revolutionary,” the admiral glares at the hooded man with fury. “I must eradicate this evil!”
“Sakazuki, stop!” Sengoku orders without taking his eyes off the revolutionary leader. “We cannot fight here.”
Bessy smiles calmly and looks at the world’s greatest criminal. “You are not involved, no,” she informs them. “It simply became personal. Emporio Ivankov had their reasons to follow this man into the war.” She pauses. “Of course, that crew will become great allies of the revolution in the future, but not yet.”
“However, Emporio Ivankov was declared dead years ago. He disappeared from Impel Down,” Magellan counters.
“Oh no, he isn’t dead. He’s still in Impel Down,” Bessy says. “Until he arrives, of course.”
“Are you suggesting that this man… organised a massive breakout at Impel Down?”
When she does not respond, the Marines erupt. Pirates and revolutionaries alike are stunned. The latter tries to imagine what kind of situation could have led Ivankov to do such a thing.
Dragon fixes his gaze on the two dark-haired brothers sitting beside Whitebeard. It is only a slim possibility, but…
Regardless of the revolutionaries’ inner turmoil, the Marines are beyond agitated. It is one thing to see Aokiji and Mihawk acknowledge the danger of this man, and another entirely to witness the powerful allies he will come to possess.
“And the Shichibukai were supporting him as well?”
“Jinbe is understandable, but the Pirate Empress…”
The men look towards the beautiful pirate. She is frowning, silently arguing with her sisters.
What kind of man is he?
“I want to see more,” one of the revolutionaries says eagerly.
And to fulfil that wish, the screen lights up once again.
A gigantic man appears on the screen, drinking sake as though it were water.
This time, the protagonist leans forward with interest as he sees himself on the screen.
“Kaido-sama!” A man arrives, breathless. Behind him, two others drag in a Den Den Mushi.
“Mamamama,” someone laughs through the snail.
“Damn it, this can only mean trouble,” someone mutters upon recognising who is calling Kaido.
The scene shifts, and Big Mom appears in front of the snail.
“What do you want?!” Kaido asks irritably.
“It’s about that brat,” the woman smiles. “He’s on his way to you.”
Kaido frowns. “So what?”
“Listen, keep your hands off him!”
“Huh?!”
“I’ll come to the Land of Wano to chop his head off myself.”
“Is that some kind of joke?” Kaido roars. “I refuse!”
“It has nothing to do with you,” Big Mom challenges him. “I must cut off his head, or I’ll keep losing face! There’s something I want take back from him, too!”
“What could that guy have done to anger Big Mom…?”
“I don’t care!”
“I think you owe me quite a favour.”
“A favour?”
“I think you remember it, don’t you?”
Kaido looks at the other Yonkou with irritation at having to recall that incident. She simply smiles, excited by what she sees on the screen.
“That was a long time ago.”
“It’s a lifelong debt!”
Kaido hurls the sake bottle to the ground in fury.
“I have an even bigger grudge against that brat! I’ll be the one to kill him! If you come, I’ll kill you, Linlin!”
“Huh? He’s also angered Kaido? What could he have done to make two Yonkou fight over killing him?”
“Try it. I didn’t call to ask for your opinion, this is a warning. I’ll cut off his head!” Then she adds, “Let’s be friends… like we used to be!”
“She just proposed—”
“An alliance!”
“A man who can make two beasts ally just to deal with him… what a disaster!”
The entire room falls silent, and then chaos erupts. The Marines look as though the world is ending. Big Mom glances sideways at Kaido. Wouldn’t an alliance be convenient to achieve their goals? Kaido seems to consider it.
“He must be a giant!” A pirate argues. “No one could face those two monsters otherwise.”
“But he probably has a Devil Fruit,” a marine replies with a frown.
“Besides, it doesn’t matter if he’s not a giant. He could just be a really big guy, right?”
Whitebeard clicks his tongue. “Sounds like this fellow is quite troublesome. I wonder what he did to anger those two… Gurararara!”
“I wonder the same,” Shanks says, glancing at the other emperors. “Though it’s a bit frustrating that I’m the only one who hasn’t shown up,” he complains.
“Don’t worry, Shanks! I made a promise, so you’ll be the last one I fight.”
Whitebeard and the red-haired man turn to look at the young boy between them in surprise. His voice was not loud enough to reach the entire room, but both crews heard it perfectly.
Shanks admits that with all the excitement and intrigue, he had forgotten about Luffy for a moment.
And then he realises how foolish that was. How could he ever forget about Luffy? He looks at the screen, then back at the boy. There is no doubt about who could annoy so many people at once.
But until that time comes, Shanks will not miss the chance to tease his little anchor.
“You think you’re that guy everyone’s talking about?” He mocks. “As if you could ever be a pirate! Dahahaha!”
The crew echoes their captain’s laughter, clearly remembering how much Shanks enjoyed teasing the boy.
“Shanks, bastard! I trained a lot! Now it’s really true, my punches are like a pistol!”
“Huh? A pistol?” The red-haired man repeats lazily.
“What kind of reaction is that, idiot?!”
“Dahahaha!”
Whitebeard looks at Ace, who smiles softly as he watches the interaction between the red-haired man and the boy.
“You’ve got an interesting brother, son,” the older man smiles.
“Luffy is an idiot,” Ace replies, returning the smile to his father. “But don’t think about offering him a place on the crew. He’d turn you down.”
The emperor nods, already aware of that fact.
“He doesn’t seem like a man who would let himself be ruled by others,” he says, his gaze fixed on the familiar straw hat.
How interesting.